Veteran Odia actress Aparajita Mohanty joined the BJP in the presence of Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other senior leaders at the party’s state headquarters in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

Mohanty said she joined the party as she was inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and after being influenced by the development programmes undertaken by him.

She said she hoped the country would continue to progress under Modi’s leadership.

Pradhan said Mohanty’s joining the party will strengthen the party.

On February 13, Mohanty resigned from the Congress which she had joined ahead of the 2014 general elections.

The Congress had fielded the veteran actress from Cuttack parliamentary constituency but she was defeated by Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) Bhartruhari Mahtab.

Party sources said Mohanty will join the BJP’s bypoll campaign which is underway in Bijepur assembly constituency.

Odia actors Mihir Das, Anu Choudhury and Mahasweta Ray also joined the BJP and were campaigning for the party in the Bijepur by-poll.